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The Battlefords North Stars and Kindersley Klippers will clash twice in two nights this weekend, to kickstart the new season. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)
Rivalry Renewed

North Stars to open season Friday in Kindersley

Nov 6, 2020 | 1:48 PM

The Battlefords North Stars will kick off their regular season Friday night in Kindersley, versus the Klippers — the division rivals.

Friday’s game will be the first of a back-to-back between the North Stars and Klippers to open the season. It’s a tradition dating back to the start of the 2012-13 season.

Over the last eight years, the North Stars have swept the opening two-game series four times, while Kindersley swept it three times. Just one was a 1-1 weekend split.

When the Stars take to the ice Friday it will be the first time in nearly 240 days since their last meaningful hockey game.

Head coach Brayden Klimosko said he looks forward to seeing how the team comes out in a real game situation, after a lot of time practicing and preparing for this moment. He said he likes the roster composition as a group, and the potential they’ve shown.

“We’ve got a lot of youth and some really good veteran guys too, so it looks like a good mix,” Klimosko said. “The vibe’s been really good in the room, so I think overall it’s been very positive. They are a really ambitious group, right from the top-down going into the year.”

Klimosko said the speed and tenacity of the team looks to be a real strength they will hope to take full advantage of.

“We should be a pretty fast team to play against, and that’s kind of our goal, so hopefully we get to that level [early],” Klimosko said. “A lot of our young guys produce a lot of speed, and hopefully it creates some havoc on the forecheck and in the neutral zone. We’re looking forward to seeing what they can bring [tonight].”

The Klippers won three of the four preseason games between the two sides this year, but when the teams meet Friday-Saturday, there will be at least four new faces in the Battlefords lineup, who have joined the Stars since that time.

In the last week, the North Stars have added 19-year-old forwards, Blake Allan and Connor Gabruch on loan from the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

On the blue line, the team also added 19-year-old defencemen Riley Little and Sam Witt, from Waywayseecapo of the Manitoba Junior League (Little), and Kindersley (Witt), respectively.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, teams have been authorized to carry expanded lineups, at least through the first part of the season.

That expanded format will prove especially critical to the Stars through their opening weekend, with no less than four players currently on the roster slated to miss the start of the regular season, due to suspension.

Jaxon Steele and Logan Spence will miss the team’s opener with carryover supplemental discipline from last year, while Patrick McInnis and Dylan Esau will also miss the Friday’s game due to altercations taking place in preseason this year.

Friday’s game will be broadcast on NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will be extended an additional 15 minutes this year, to begin at 7 p.m., with puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

North Stars lineup at a glance

Forwards

#21 J. Southgate, #14 M. Richey, #24 S. Kesslering

#15 K.T. Walters, #25 B. Allan, #8 C. Gabruch

#6 C. Reagan, #17 T. Klimpke, #9 B. Berthold

#11 T. Bahm, #26 R. Kenyon, #20 R. McNinch

Defense

#27 S. Witt, #23 T. Prexler

#26 W. Steele, #4 O. Lugowski

#27 T. Ewart, #22 R. Little

Goalies

#30 A. Schwab, #1 K. Lyon

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

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